Sports play important part in our life. Sports are played professionally and recreationally. It is very important to develop skills in playing these sports not only to provide winning results for teams that people play for but also for personal satisfaction. In the game of basketball, for example, the primary skill that determines the success of the team or the individual is the art of proper shooting of the ball. By the way of background, numerous coaches worldwide have researched their teaching methods extensively in order to find the correct way to properly shoot a basketball. From amateurs to professionals, using a device that teaches proper biomechanical release of a basketball will result in higher success and excitement for the game of basketball. Biomechanical movement is directly related to the success of the basketball shot. In order to shoot a basketball for a high percentage, a player needs to use the correct body joints, and muscles attached, together as one unit. Incorporating the least amount of body joints (and muscles) will result in increased muscle memory retention and less chance for biomechanical errors.
According to numerous researches done, the most important biomechanical aspect for proper shooting is a proper release at the wrist joint, and the elimination of finger flexion at finger joints. There are many different games of skill played by human for recreational and competitive purposes. Whether the game is played recreationally or professionally, players generally desire to improve their skills to increase their success at the game. There are many approaches that the player may take to improve their performance. These approaches include reading books, watching videotapes, receiving lessons/coaching, practicing and utilizing training devices.
Past prior art devices unfortunately disregard this important concept, resulting in performance issues regarding the kinetic chain principle of shooting movements. Numerous prior art training devices were taught by U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,854,669 to Marty et al, 5,599,016 to Larkin, 5,813,926 to Vance, and 6,712,722 to Mosley. The U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,016 to Larkin, for example, teaches a muscle memory basketball training aid and method is provided. The training aid includes a pair of base assemblies and a rectangular frame detachably coupled to the base assemblies. The frame includes a pair of shooting bars and a pair of end bars detachably coupled to the shoot bars. A pair of extension members are detachably coupled to the base assemblies and to the frame. A locking device is provided that enables longitudinal adjustment of the extension members relative to the base assemblies, for adjusting the height of the frame assembly relative to the base assemblies. The locking device enables each extension member to be adjusted independently of the other, so that the frame assembly may extend obtusely above the base assemblies, to accommodate plural users of different heights. The training aid is implemented by adjusting the frame assembly to a predetermined height, determined by adjusting the extension members, until the shooting bar extends parallel to a user's wrist, when the user's shooting arm is extended into a finished shooting position. The user is positioned under the opening in the frame and provided with a basketball. The user projects the basketball through the opening in the frame, such that the arm changes from an initial position to the finished shooting position, projecting the basketball towards a target. The motion is repeated to establish muscle-memory of the muscles in the user's shooting arm and the associated muscles, to train the muscles associated with shooting the basketball.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,926 to Vance teaches a basketball free throw training apparatus has a frame having a top horizontal bar. The horizontal bar is adjustably mounted for vertical positioning on the frame, so that the bar can be raised in a horizontal position with respect to the frame and with respect to the floor upon which the frame is mounted. A pair of upstanding closely spaced guide bars extends upwardly from the bar and have a horizontal space therebetween sufficiently wide to permit a basketball to freely pass therebetween. The frame has an extended arm thereon which can be pivoted to a horizontal position and which can extend between the frame and the backboard of a basket so that the frame is accurately positioned from the basket based upon the stature and shooting technique of the user of the equipment. This arm is length adjustable so as to accommodate the spacing requirements of persons of different stature and skill. The method of using the foregoing equipment comprises positioning the frame in front of a basketball basket in spaced relation thereto; raising the bar to a height commensurate with the high point of the shooting trajectory of the person using the equipment, and spacing the bar horizontally from a basket a distance equal to the distance required for a basketball shot by a person to fall from the high point of the trajectory through the basket.
The U.S. Pat. No. 6,712,722 to Mosley teaches a basketball shot training device including a platform having a lower surface and an upper surface. The lower surface is positionable on a flat recipient surface. The upper surface receives a practicing player's feet thereon in a standing orientation. A tether is provided having a first end and a second end. The first end is adjustably secured to the platform. A glove is coupled with the second end of the tether. The glove has an opening therein for receiving a hand of the practicing player therein. The device is capable of detecting the angle and position of the glove following a shot to ascertain whether a shot was properly executed with the requisite “follow-through”.
The U.S. Pat. No. 7,854,669 to Marty teaches a basketball free throw training apparatus has a non-intrusive machine vision system that remotely detects trajectories of moving objects may be used to evaluate trajectory parameters for a basketball shot at a basketball hoop by a player. The feedback information, such as a trajectory entry angle into the basketball hoop and/or an entry velocity into the hoop for the shot, may be output to the player in an auditory format using a sound projection device. The information provided by the apparatus to the player is not connected with the movements of the player throwing the ball at the moment, which determine the trajectory of the ball and its elements, which are controlled by the player. These elements are the place of release the ball from the hands of the player throwing the angle and speed of the ball. One of the main reasons why the ball misses the ring are throwing errors, and non repeatable movement. A muscle memory can not be created in this case because the large spread of uncontrolled movements. A muscle memory can be created under the control of movements in the time of the throw, and repeated shot along one trajectory and one set of movements.
One drawback of these devices is that typically they are applied in a manner that departs from the actual play of the sport. The departure from normal playing conditions can limit the effectiveness of the device. For instance, training devices can be used that are attached to a player to help them develop a prescribed trajectory control skill. However, these training devices are not used in the actual play of the game and can be a distraction to the player employing the device.
Another drawback of current training devices is that the player is not provided any feedback that they can use to evaluate their performance or the feedback can be quite detached from the training experience. When a player receives a lesson or coaching, another person watches their performance and can provide immediate feedback that is valuable to the player. With current training devices, the player uses the device and then later can attempt to judge their performance based upon whether they perceive an improvement in their actual play of the game. However, when the player is using the device improperly or training in a less than optimal manner, the devices do not provide any objective feedback that the player can use to evaluate their performance.
Therefore, there is an opportunity and a constant need for improved training devices and methods that allow the player to improve their trajectory skills for games requiring such skills where the training devices are operable in an environment that approximates actual playing conditions, simple to set-up and to operate, develop good muscle memory, and provide immediate and objective feedback to the user of the device.